Attachment for railway mail and express cars



Feb. 26, 1929. 7 1,703,153

. j P. H. KNOLL L WAY MAIL AND EXPRESS CARS ATTACHMENT FOR RAI Filed Jan. 16, 1925 f 71 renter F/IUL. KNOLL -Z j'ymmmm Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PAUL H. KNOLL,- OF EXCELSIOR, MINNESOTA.

ATTACHMENT FOR RAILWAY MAIL AND EXPRESS CARS.

Application filed January This invention relates to an improved overhead track system particularly adapted for use as an attachment for a railway mail or express car whereby the usual mail sacks,

parcel post and express packages being transported from one station to another along the railroad, may readily and quickly be loaded and unloaded from the car in a minimum amount of time.

In the operation of trains, particularly those carrying express and local mail, considerable time is often consumed at the various stations along the road in receiving and distributing mail and express packages, usually caused by the necessity of the clerks having to handle each sack or package to be received or distributed at a station after the train has come to a full stop. The clerks, in performing such duties at the different stations, often consume considerable more time than is required for passengers to board and leave the trains, and especially in rural districts where express and parcel post deliveries are heavy and the passenger transportation comparatively light. It is therefore desirablethat means be provided whereby the receiving and distributing of such mail and express packages at the various stations along a railroad, may be performed in a much shorter period of time, which time will not, under ordinary conditions, exceed the amount of time required for passengers to board and leave the train.

The particular object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved overhead track system for railway mail and express cars, having a traveling carriage mounted thereon from Which a suitable carrying means, such as a crate or basket may be supported. Into this carrying means, the mail and express packages are placed or packed by the clerk while the train is en route between stat-ions, and as soon asthe station is reached the entire delivery may be readily and quickly unloaded from the train onto the station platform or onto a truck.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact. features shown but various changes 16, 1925. Serial No. 2,937.

may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying"drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan section through a rail way car showing one application of the in vention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section further illustrating the construction of Figure 1. I Y

In the drawings the numerals 6 represent the sides of a car. The numerals 7 indicate side door openings opposingly related. The numeral 8 represents an end wall of the car. In this enibodin'ient, a track section 52 is shown slidably mounted in the car so that it may be projected through the door. openings 7 on either side of the car over the station platform. The track section is arranged transversely of the car and is slidably mounted in a main bracket 53 which is suitably secured to the ceiling of the car preferably by such means as the hangers 54, shown in Figure 2. This bracket is preferably provided with anti-friction rollers 55. Auxiliary brackets 56 are preferably mounted on the side walls of the car in alignment with the main bracket 53 so that when the' track section is outwardly projected through either of the door'openings as shown, the

upper horizontal flange of the track will it will be seen that when the track is in the I full line position shown in Figure 2, the main portion thereof will be substantially supported by the brackets 53 and 56. The

track section is also preferably provided with a latch 37 at each end adapted to engage the carriage 13 when in the position shown in Figure 2.

The track section 52 when in inoperative position, as'shown in Figure 1, will be positioned within the walls of the car, and when a station is reached it may be outwardly projected through the selected door opening of the car as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1 and shown in full lines in Figure 2.

Stops 57 are preferably provided at each end of the track section 52 which are adapted to engage the upper rollers 55 of the main bracket 53, thereby to limit the travel of the track. It is also to be understood that the brackets 56 are so shaped that the stops 5? may pass therethrough without interference when the track section is moved from one side to the other.

In the drawings, I have shown the main bracket 53 as being supported from the coiling of the car, but it is to be understood that this bracket may be supported in any convenient manner without departing from the invention. The track section here shown is also of I-beam cross-section in order to provide a suitable supporting means for the track and also a runway for the carriage 125, such supporting means and runway being provided by the upper and lower horizontal flanges of the track.

Means is thus provided whereby a one piece tackle support is arranged to slide transversely or the car to have opposite ends alternately projected through an opening. Means is also pro ideal to receive and support the tackle support adjacent its projected end.

I claim as my invention:

1. A railway car having door openings opposingly related transversely of the car, a hanger arranged between the openings, a track slidable upon the hanger transversely of the car, a bracket at each opening for supporting the track adjacent that end which is extended through an opening, a pendent tackle carrier slidable upon and beneath the track, and means at each opposite end of the track for limiting outward movement of the carrier, and immovable but releasably securing the same.

2. A railway car having two opposingly related side door openings, a one-piece overhead tackle-support arranged to slide transversely of the car to have opposite ends alternately projecting through an opening, and separate means at each door to slidably receive and support the tackle-suppm't adjacent its projecting end.

3. A railway car having two opposingly related side door openings, a one-piece overhead tackle-support, supported to slide transversely of the car to have opposite ends alternately projecting througn an opening, and separate means at each door to slidably receive and support the tackle-support adjacent its projecting end, the said track having flanges lying below its support.

4. A railway car having two opposingly related side door openings, a tackle-support, supported by a hanger to slide transversely of the car to have opposite ends alternately projecting through an opening, the tacklesupport being of less width than the transverse distance between the openings, and sep arate means at each door to slidably receive and support the support adjacent its projecting end, said support comprising an E- beain supported by its upper flanges and having its lower flanges tree of and below the hanger.

5. A railway car having two opposingly related side door openings, a tackle-support, supported by a hanger to slide transversely of the car to have opposite ends alternately projecting through an opening, and separate means at each door to slidably receive and support the track adjacent its projecting end, said support comprising an lI-bea1n supported by its upper flanges upon the hanger, and having its lower flanges tree of and below the hanger.

6. A railway car having two opposingly related side door openings, an over-head tackle-support supported to move in direction of its length transversely of the car, and to have opposite ends alternately project through the door opening, and separate means at each door to releasably receive and support the tackle-support, when projected.

in witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of January, 1925.

PAUL H. KNOLL. 

